Category Archives: Equality

UN expert, Reem Alsalem, concerned by UK failure to enforce Supreme Court ruling on sex-based protections

A UN expert has expressed serious concern over the United Kingdom’s failure to ensure the effective implementation of a landmark Supreme Court judgment clarifying that the term “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refers to biological sex.

“The continued absence of clear, updated guidance and effective enforcement measures has resulted in widespread non-compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling,” said Reem Alsalem, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. “This situation undermines legal certainty with particularly serious consequences for women and girls.”

The Special Rapporteur welcomed the ruling in her report following her recent visit to the United Kingdom. She recommended that the UK Government ensure that all public and private institutions uphold the Supreme Court ruling , and that it provide the necessary guidance to all segments of society to understand the implications of the ruling.

“Without implementation, a court judgment offers little protection in practice,” Alsalem said. “Women and girls are left exposed to continued rights violations and are often compelled to rely on litigation to enforce protections that should already be guaranteed by law — an option that is prohibitively costly and inaccessible for many.”

Nearly one year after the Supreme Court’s ruling of 16 April 2025 in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers, the expert noted that the judgment is yet to be translated into binding guidance or enforced across public authorities and service providers. The expert expressed particular concern that non-compliance appears to extend to government departments and public sector bodies, including the National Health Service, the prison service, universities and schools.

“Although the UK Government has accepted that the Supreme Court judgment reflects the law, many public bodies reportedly claim they are awaiting government action to secure parliamentary approval of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s revised Code of Practice on Services, Public Functions and Associations,” the expert said. “At the same time, the earlier 2011 Code — now outdated and inconsistent with the ruling — reportedly remains in use.”

She stressed that the judgment was intended to resolve years of legal confusion surrounding women’s rights to single-sex services, facilities, associations and sports — rights that are central to safeguarding women’s safety, privacy and dignity, and to combating male violence against women and girls. As the first anniversary of the judgment approaches, the expert urged the Government to act without further delay.

“Prompt issuance of compliance guidance and decisive enforcement are essential to give effect to the Supreme Court’s ruling,” the expert said. “Failure to do so not only weakens legal protections for women and girls, but risks eroding public confidence in the rule of law.”

Alsalem recalled that the United Kingdom has long been regarded as a leader in addressing violence against women and girls and its consequences.

“Swift and effective implementation of this judgment would send a clear signal of the UK’s continued commitment to upholding women’s rights and the authority of its highest court,” she said.

Reem Alsalem is the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/un-expert-concerned-uk-failure-enforce-supreme-court-ruling-sex-based

February 17, 2026

Gender pay gap means women effectively work for free for 47 days a year – TUC

  • New TUC analysis reveals the earnings gulf between women and men leaves women making over £2,548 a year less than men on average.
  • This means women effectively only start earning from today – working for a month and a half for free compared to men
  • Women’s pay gap spans across the economy, including female dominated sectors such as health and social care and education.
  • The TUC is calling for ambitious and robust action plans to address this gap, so that working women are finally paid their fair share.

New TUC analysis published reveals that the average woman effectively works for 47 days of the year for free and only starts earning from today compared to the average man. 

The analysis reveals that the gender pay gap currently stands at 12.8%, the equivalent of £2,548 a year for the average woman worker.

That means that at current rates of progress, it will take 30 years – until 2056 – to close the gender pay gap.

The union body says a number of factors are driving the pay gap – including women having to work part-time to accommodate for extended caring responsibilities throughout their lives, therefore taking a significant pay cut.

The TUC says that the government needs to do more if it wants to meet its ambition to close the pay gap.

More opportunities for men and women to share care, improved access to flexible working and better access to childcare must all be part of the solution.

Pay gap across industries  

The pay gap persists across different industries, and even in jobs dominated by female workers, such as education and care:

  • In health care and social work the earning gap is 12.8% – meaning that the average woman effectively works for free for 47 days.
  • In education the earning gap is 17% – meaning that the average woman effectively works for free for 62 days.
  • In wholesale and retail the earning gap is 10.5% – meaning that the average woman effectively works for free for 38 days.

The longest wait for Women’s Pay Day comes in finance and insurance. The gender pay gap (27.2%) is the equivalent of a 99 days, meaning women work for free until 9 April 2026.

Gender pay gap by age

The TUC analysis shows that the gender pay gap affects women throughout their careers, from their first step on the ladder until they take retirement.

The gender pay gap is widest for middle-aged and older women:

  • Women aged 40 to 49 have a gender pay gap of 16.2%, so work 59 days for free until 28 February 2026.
  • Women aged between 50 and 59 have the highest pay gap of 19.7% and work the equivalent of 72 days for free, until 13 March 2026.
  • Women aged 60 and over have a gender pay gap of 17.7%. They work 65 days of the year for free and they start earning from 7 March 2025.

The TUC says the gender pay gap widens as women get older, due to women being more likely than men to take on unpaid caring responsibilities throughout their lives, limited childcare and social care provision, and too few good quality flexible jobs.

Older women take a bigger financial hit for balancing work alongside unpaid caring responsibilities throughout their lives – often looking after children, older relatives, and/or grandchildren.

Need for change

  • Gender pay gap reporting: The TUC says government plans through the Employment Rights Act to make employers publish action plans to tackle the gender pay gap are welcome – but says they must be more ambitious and robust to make a real difference. The union body also says these plans will serve as a blueprint for broader action on forthcoming ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, which the government has pledged to introduce – and stresses the importance of getting the framework right from the outset.
  • Parental leave: The TUC says that the government must ensure the parental leave review delivers increased access to paid parental leave so that mums and dads can better share care.

For full press release and table of figures go to https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-gender-pay-gap-means-women-effectively-work-free-47-days-year

February 17, 2026

The impact of motherhood on monthly employee earnings and employment status, England: April 2014 to December 2022 – ONS

The change in employee earnings and employment after having a first, second and third child, for people with children.

  • Having children leads to a substantial and long-lasting reduction in mothers’ earnings; five years after the birth of a first child (Quarter 20), monthly earnings were reduced on average by 42%, or £1,051 per month, compared with earnings one year before the birth.
  • The total earnings loss over five years amounts to an average of £65,618 following the birth of a first child, £26,317 following the birth of a second child and £32,456 following the birth of a third child.
  • Part of this reduction in earnings is the result of a reduction in employment; the probability of paid employment was significantly reduced for five years after the birth of a first child, compared with one year before birth, with a peak reduction of 15.0 percentage points one and a half years after having a child.
  • The probability of paid employment was also significantly reduced after a second and third child for five years, compared with one year before birth, with a maximum reduction of 10.5 percentage points almost two years after the second birth and 10.5 percentage points two and a half years after the third birth.
  • Earnings among those who were in paid employment followed a similar pattern to earnings overall, with the biggest loss in earnings after the first birth, and sustained reductions in earnings for five years after each birth.

Full report at https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/theimpactofmotherhoodonmonthlyemployeeearningsandemploymentstatusengland/april2014todecember2022

See also
The lasting financial penalty of motherhood https://www.gingerbread.org.uk/our-work/news-and-views/ons-analysis-financial-penalty-motherhood/

 

October 7, 2025

Equality law regulator submits updated code of practice to Minister for Women and Equalities  – EHRC

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has shared its updated code of practice for services, public functions and associations with the Minister for Women and Equalities for approval on 5 September 2025.  

As Britain’s independent equality regulator, it is the role of the EHRC to provide expert advice on how to put the Equality Act into practice.
The EHRC has now finalised its revised sections to the code following a comprehensive consultation process which began in autumn 2024. The guidance will be considered by the UK government, which is now responsible for the document progressing through Parliamentary approval.

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: 

“Over the past two years the EHRC has undertaken a major project to update the entire statutory code of practice, which was published in 2011, to reflect over ten years of new legislation. Following the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers in April, some additional sections required further revision.

“We have now submitted an updated draft of the code to the Minister for Women and Equalities. The government is responsible for laying it before Parliament. Once Parliament has considered its content, I look forward to the EHRC publishing this guidance, fulfilling our statutory role to provide clear information that protects everyone’s rights under the Equality Act 2010.

“We have been clear that service providers, associations and public functions should not wait for the code of practice to be published to make any changes needed to comply with the law. As duty-bearers they must assure themselves of their legal responsibilities in their own specific circumstances and seek independent legal advice where necessary.”

The updates to the code of practice have been informed by two consultation processes which asked how the EHRC could make the guidance clearer.

The first consultation ran for three months in late 2024 and sought views on updates to the whole code of practice, covering all nine protected characteristics.
Following the UK Supreme Court ruling on the meaning of sex in the Equality Act in April 2025 the EHRC launched an additional six-week consultation on proposed updates to sections impacted by the ruling.

In this consultation alone the EHRC heard from over 50,000 organisations, legal professionals and individuals across England, Scotland and Wales. Responses were analysed with robustness, accuracy and speed to produce guidance that provides clarity to service providers, associations and public functions on their legal obligations.

Following ministerial approval, the UK Government must lay the draft code before Parliament for 40 days before it can be brought into force.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/media-centre/equality-law-regulator-submits-updated-code-practice-minister-women-and-equalities

 

September 5, 2025

Government confirms Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson as the next EHRC chair – Office for Equality and Opportunity

Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has confirmed that Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson will be appointed as the new Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

  • Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson confirmed as new Chair for Equality and Human Right Commission
  • Dr Stephenson will begin on 1 December 2025, after current chair Baroness Falkner’s term ends on 30 November
  • Dr Stephenson brings over 30 years of experience to the role

Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson has today confirmed that Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson will be appointed as the new Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

This follows a full and open competition to recruit a new chair, in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

Dr Stephenson appeared in front of the Women and Equalities Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights on 1 July as part of a pre-appointment hearing where she was scrutinised by the committees.

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson has over 30 years of experience working on equality and human rights issues within the UK and internationally, over 20 of these at board and CEO level. She also holds a PhD in equality law.

Positions she has held include:

  • Director of the Women’s Budget Group
  • Director of the Fawcett Society
  • tutor and visiting lecturer at University of Warwick Law School, including international human rights, UK employment law, UK equality law
  • visiting lecturer at University of Nottingham School of Law, London School of Economics and University of Wolverhampton
  • consultant to equalities and human rights projects including British Council, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Trade Union Congress, and Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • Chair of Early Education and Childcare Coalition
  • board member of Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (CRASAC), Coventry Police and Crime Board, Just Fair, and Article 19
  • Campaigns Officer at Liberty

Minister for Women and Equalities Bridget Phillipson said:

Equality and opportunity are absolutely vital in improving people’s life chances and the EHRC plays an essential role in upholding and protecting our rights.

I have the utmost confidence that the depth and breadth of Dr Stephenson’s experience will allow her to run the EHRC with integrity and professionalism. I am particularly encouraged by the balance of her experience across equalities and human rights.

I look forward to working with her on our shared mission to ensure that background is no barrier to success across the  country.

Dr Stephenson said:

It is a great honour to be appointed as the new Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission at such a critical time.

I have spent over 30 years building my career across the equality and human rights sector and I am delighted to have the opportunity  to bring my  insight and experience to lead the EHRC with compassion, honesty and dedication.

I look forward to working with the Government and all stakeholders alongside my new colleagues at the EHRC to uphold equality and human rights and ensure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

The government is committed to ensuring that people of all backgrounds can thrive. The EHRC plays a vital role in upholding and promoting equality and human rights across England and Wales.

The EHRC is independent of the government and makes its own enforcement decisions, including about any inquiries and investigations it decides to conduct.

Read the press release in full at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-confirms-dr-mary-ann-stephenson-as-the-next-ehrc-chair

See also:

 

August 1, 2025